Savage 99 accuracy woes

[joeniv]

When I was growing up, we had one "deer rifle" - my brother's Savage 99 chambered in .300 Savage. Unfortunately, he stored it in a damp basement and it suffered from years of neglect. I ended up buying it and had it restored to probably better than new condition. It has been fitted with a proper one piece base, decent rings and a trusty Leupold 3 x 9 scope.

I want to keep this rifle for sentimental reasons, but would really like to get better accuracy out of it. My standard recipe development method it so pick a bullet, then try 5 different powders to see how they shoot. Then I'll focus on one powder / bullet and tweak the powder charge. My final step is to tweak the seating depth once the bullet, powder & powder charge have been determined. So far, I've tried the Sierra 165 gr Game King and the Sierra 150 gr Pro Hunter.

Accuracy has been disappointing. I'm talking 2" three shot groups at 100 yards. I shoot off a bench with a solid front rest and a heavy rear bag - three shots from a cold barrel. Those are the BEST of the groups - but any given load might also deliver a 3 1/2" group. When I back up to the 200 yard range, groups become patterns.

Any tips / tricks to consider? I have "bedded" the forend and I try to place the rifle on the bags the same way every time. The trigger is heavy, but not too bad. I'm wondering if I need to try heavy bullets (180 gr) or round nose rather than spitzer.

I don't expect bolt action prairie dog rifle accuracy, just a good honest consistant 1 1/2 at 100 yards. I would limit myself to shots within 200 if I could get a 4" group at that range..

Thanks in advance.

 

[Preacher]

Was the barrel replaced when you did the restore ?
A damp basement would do some harm to the insides..

 

[tome]

I'd try a different weight bullet to see if the rifle likes them better..remember that these are " deer" rifles..not bench guns..and in the older rifles 1" - 2" @ 100 yds was" minute of deer"

 

[joeniv]

thanks for your input.

No - the barrel was not replaced, but the smith did re-crown it. The rifle suffered from mild surface rust and I was concerned about the barrel bore. He scoped it and the bore was OK. I did a basement smith polish job on it...I stuck a long bore brush on my cleaning rod, wrapped a patch wrapped around it & slathered it good with JB Bore Paste. Then I ran multiple passes through it to even out the high spots.

re: bullet weight - I'll expand that to include bullet profile. Any specific direction to head? I've tried 165 gr boattail spirepoint and 150 gr spire point bullets. Should I be looking at round nose or flat point? Heavier or lighter?

-joeniv-

 

[Larryh128]

A couple things that I have seen in the past include making sure that the barrel channel is very well sealed with stock finish, but my guess is that you have already done that. The 2nd would be to try it without barrel pressure or not as much. I would take the same profile bullet in 150 & 180 & shoot both with the same powder & primer & see if there is a definite preference for 1 bullet weight. There really isn't a reason that it won't shoot either pointed or round nose bullets but you really can't jump around & learn a lot. With that said, I've seen some excetional accuracy out of round nose bullets at "woods" distances where boat tails aren't required.

 

[Preacher]

Try some flat base bullets and see if that helps any..
I would also check out lighter bullets, unless you really need the weight..

 

[Xedefoplop]

I really liked this information.

 

[Rustystud]

Contact M.L. Mic McPherson, Superior Balistics, Inc., 10725 Road 24.4 Loop, Cortez, Colorado 81321
telephone 970 564-0500 or email micmacfone@centyurylink.net

Mic is a lever action man with great experience with the Savage 99.

Nat Lambeth

 

[Barlow]

Try some 150 gr round nose (Hornady IL) flat base, they worked well in my brothers 99, 300 Sav.

 

[langenc]

I know you said "the trigger aint too bad" but I bet a 3# trigger would do better than 6 or 7 as mine is.

Im going to check w/ Mic in Colorado and see what he can do w/ the trigger.

Anyone know a reliable, experienced triggersmith for a 99?? Id sure like about 3#s.

Thanks

 

[shortgrass]

The design of the trigger doesn't allow for much reduction in pull weight, but it can be "smoothed" some. Those old triggers are usually worn pretty "smooth" over time. Check the twist rate.

 

[seymour fish]

Joeniv, Exactly how are you holding the rifle? Please describe any obvious shape to the groups.

 

[barrowsr]

Is this a take down rifle? If so any slop at the junction of barrel and receiver? Even if its a solid frame gun - I'd be surprised if you got 1.5 MOA out of it. I'd suggest using modern factory ammunition as your test group. Current ammo is every bit as accurate as most handloads now a days. If you find a load that delivers 2 MOA one day and 4 MOA the next while you're doing everything exactly the same its just not an accurate rifle.

 

[std7mag]

Several things stick out to me.

1) You "bedded the fore end". It may well have been better if you hadn't.

2) Seating depth, and action screw torque affect group sizes.

3) Are you shooting for groups, or shooting a ladder to find your powder charge? Ladder for powder charge first, seating depth for groups after.

 

[DJSBRS]

9 year old post guys.

DJ

 

[barrowsr]

oops

 

[joshb]

But we were just getting started!!!

 

[Adam in WI]

9 year old post guys.

DJ

It's old enough to hunt assuming the op has the rifle shooting well enough.

 

[std7mag]

I didn't even look.
Of course sometimes at a match, it's better that way...

 

[Clark]

1917 Sav 99 take down.
I made another barrel in 6mmBR for it and sighted it in.
0.1" (3) shot group at 50 yards
0.3" (3) shot group at 100 yards.

With no fore end.